Kazakhstan's Family Support Centers face staffing shortages amid rising demand
A high-level meeting in Astana reviewed the work of Kazakhstan’s Family Support Centers (FSCs) this week. Deputy Prime Minister Aida Balayeva led the session, focusing on how to improve services across the country’s 158 centres. Officials highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges in supporting families and handling public requests. The National Commission for Women’s and Family Affairs gathered to assess the performance of FSCs, which operate in all 11 regions and major cities. Since January, these centres have processed nearly 30,000 citizen inquiries and assisted over 24,000 families. Their main tasks include emergency response and addressing public requests, though efficiency varies due to staffing and resource limitations.
Snezhana Imasheva, the government’s commissioner for family affairs, presented a report on current priorities and obstacles. A key issue raised was the shortage of qualified specialists, particularly psychologists, social workers, and legal experts. Low wages were also identified as a barrier to recruiting and retaining skilled staff. Balayeva stressed the need for FSCs to work more systematically and with clearer targets. She ordered a thorough review of regional challenges, calling for tailored recommendations to strengthen each centre’s operations.
The meeting concluded with plans to address staffing gaps and improve service delivery. FSCs will continue providing emergency aid and processing requests, but further steps are needed to ensure consistent support nationwide. The government aims to implement the proposed recommendations in the coming months.
